This Is A Man's World
by easyl0ve
Summary: A young noblewoman finds joy in the sport of tournament. With the help from her loving father and her families workers she finds a way to do what she loves, even if it means she is pretending to be a man. Will her secret be kept? Is there a traitor in the mist? Or will her heart be her downfall? HIATUS (If you're interested in continuing this story on your own, contact me!)
1. It was an idea

Chapter 1: It was an idea.

"Charlotte, darling, do sit down!" My father was a rotund man with a short beard and a big heart. After my mother died when I was just five we grew very close. So close that he taught me everything he knew of life and love and fighting. Though I could tell he wished me a son, he still loved me just the same.

"Sorry, father. I'm just excited. It's been months since we've seen a good joust!" The wind picked up and my red hair flew about as I returned to sit beside my dad.

"I know dear." As he spoke a knight came up to speak to him. The man had a sharp face and dark brown hair. These audiences were a common occurrence during our outings. The same story every time. They would ask permission to court me, and then my father would decline. I had been betrothed once before; to a man I might've loved. After we received word of his death in battle my father began taking me to these tournaments they were the only time I felt joy again. After we received the news of his death he promised me that I would have the freedom to marry whomever I wanted, and if I didn't wish to marry at all then he would not be disappointed. There was no end to how much I loved my father. "We are going to have to head home for a while, Charlotte."

"Why, father?"

"I have to tend to some things in Winchester. Don't you miss our friends?"

"I do, I suppose." I watched as two knights crashed together.

"I wonder why Sir William isn't competing again? He hasn't been to the last three tournaments."

A woman behind us spoke, "Earl, I believe he lost his wife at the beginning of this spring."

"Oh, poor chap. That championship was the first time I took Lady Charlotte to a tournament, you remember that? Almost six years ago, that was. You were just fifteen." He smiled at me.

"That was what made me fall in love with this sport."

"A girl in love with a sport? I'd never." The woman exclaimed.

"You will not talk of my daughter in such a way. Come Charlotte, we shall leave now." He got up and began walking towards our carriage. I followed. I should have liked to stay, but there was no reasoning with my father when someone spoke down to me.

On the first day of the carriage ride back I had an idea, which I sat with for two more days until finally I could not hold it in. "Father, I should like to compete in tournaments."

"Excuse me?"

"I want to joust, and cross swords."

"Women are not allowed to compete, my dear."

"Oh," I hung my head down. I wanted to try. I wanted to prove myself as more. I didn't want this boring life anymore.

"Oh, alright. We will find a way." He smiled at me, "Sometimes I feel you have completely bewitched me. It will not be easy to do, my Charlotte."

"I know, father." I smiled.

"But we shall find a way." The rest of the ride we spoke strategy, and of how my father would finally get a son.


	2. It became a possibility

**Thank you lone reader! **

Chapter 2: It became a possibility.

Once we arrived at home father gathered four of his favorite workers to serve as my companions. The first I worked with was the blacksmith, Thomas. He was a burly man who was two heads taller than I. He continually kept his head shaved except for a large mustache, which only added to his intimidating demeanor.

"Well, you'll need armor that makes you less…" he paused for a moment.

"Girly, I know! You don't have to treat me like a child or a lady anymore, Thomas." I smiled.

"I don't know how you will pull this off, but I will make you the armor as best as I can. That's a promise." He measured me and sent me to Franklin, our horse tender. Compared to Thomas, Franklin was a skeleton. He may have been equally tall, but he was nowhere near as massive. He picked out our strongest horse, a black beast of a thing named Shadow.

"I will have you training with her every morning and night. He doesn't trust easily, but if you can get him to like you we might have a shot." Riding Shadow was the scariest and most exhilarating thing I had done. My childhood horse was a dainty mule compared to his thunderous strides. He would buck and turn against the reigns at any chance; when I walked past him in the stable after our first ride he even tried to bite me. "It's going to be a long road between you two, Lady Charlotte."

"I will not give up on you yet," I said to the beast. "You won't be able to call me Lady Charlotte much longer, you know."

"Yes, I know. That is precisely why I plan to say it as much as possible while I still can." He laughed.

"Where is Christopher? Dad said I needed to see him."

"I believe he is in the main house, Lady Charlotte."

"I'll see you at dinner, Mister Franklin," I stuck my tongue out at him as I left. When I found Christopher he was slumped over some papers in the parlor.

"It is lovely to see you again, Sir Charles."

"Excuse me?"

"Your name, Sir Charles? Now you are going to have to do better than that if you are going to pull this off. Men don't stand like that."

I looked at my old tutor in sheer puzzlement. "How do they stand?"

"We, my dear! How do we stand?"

"Fine, how do WE stand?"

"Well, see how you are standing? Do the opposite. Don't hold your hands together, don't be meek. This is a man's world, this is your world now. Act like it!" I did my best to stand manlier. Christopher laughed. "How about this, act like the most unsophisticated person you know! Like Franklin. He hunches, he swears, he spits. The more disgusting you can be the less people will question your manhood."

"I can try that, it's just hard in a dress. Don't I need new clothes?"

"Your father sent out Tom's wife to get them. Don't worry, I told her to try to find as many codpieces as possible." We laughed.

"Didn't you once train with a knight?"

"Yes I did, and you father informed me that I will be training you on the joust, and any other sport you choose."

"I liked sword fighting with Father when I was young, how about that one too?"

He took a sword from off the wall and threw it at me. I clumsily caught it and fumbled a bit before composing myself and striking a beginning stance. "I guess we can work with it," he sighed. "You have an assignment today." I perked up to listen. "At dinner you must act like a man."

"How?"

"Take big bites, drink too much wine, and whatever you do don't use your fork."

I looked at him skeptically, "But father?"

"He knows what he signed up for."

Thomas's wife, a petite and kind-faced woman, entered the room. "Lady Charlotte, I am to help you into your new clothes before dinner."

"It's Sir Charles now, Madame." Christopher laughed.

"Oh yes, sorry miss. Sir! Sorry Sir!" I followed her to my room where the new clothes were laying out. "First we need to bind your chest." I nodded and she helped me disrobe. The binding was almost as painful as when I had to wear a corset, but nothing I couldn't handle. "Now we just put this loose shirt on top," she slid it over me. "And the trousers." I had never worn pants before, it was quite strange. So confining. Then she put boots on my feet and laced them up. "It is quite strange seeing you like this, my Lady. Or Sir, I am so confused."

"I know, it feels strange, especially this," I laughed motioning to the codpiece. "Do I look like a man?"

"Your body does, your face and hair do not. How are you supposed to grow a beard?"

"I have an idea," I put my hair into a pony tail and shook my hands over it to make it messy. "Better?"

"Yes, Sir."

"And Christopher gave me an idea for the beard problem, come with me. I want to know if it works." She followed me outside where I found a small patch of mud in the dirt. I rubbed my face with it around the jaw line and a bit in my hair. I looked up to her from the ground with a smile, "Better?"

"Yes, Sir."

"No really, you can tell me the truth."

"I am afraid that may be as good as it gets. You can tell them you're young! That might work."

"Good idea, darling." I practiced my manly walk into the house, trying to hold in my laughter. When I entered the dining room my father and Christopher both looked at me in surprise. "Hello father, it is I, your son Charles! Come home at long last to feast and drink and tell tales of my daring deeds!" Christopher smiled but my father's expression was far more complex.

"Well, you look the part almost. We will have to build up your muscles first, then I think we might be able to pull this off." I took the seat across from Christopher. As the meal began so did my life as Sir Charles of Winchester.


	3. It was difficult

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 3: It was difficult.

Compared to training, pretending to be a man was easy. At night I would go to sleep drained of all I had, and in the mornings it all started again. The sword training, the riding, the joust training, it was all so much that I had at times forgotten I was in fact a lady under it all. After a month I had transformed both mind and body. Where once I was weak, now I was strong. My propriety was gone and the grime had replaced the perfumes. I was Sir Charles almost every moment of the day, except those brief moments at night before I succumbed to sleep. Then I was Charlotte. The busy schedule had given me almost no time to really think, which helped me cope with the changes a great deal. The most rewarding change was the bond I had made with Shadow. A few afternoons we even stole naps together in the stable. It wasn't easy of course, but I was relentless in winning his affections. After the second month of training at the house my team and I were running without a hitch. It was then that we began talks of going to a tournament.

"I still don't think she passes for a man."

"Damn it, Tom. She does just fine." My father stood up for me.

"It's your call sir," Christopher shook my shoulders, "I personally think this is as good as it will get. Sir Charles will be fine."

"Then it's settled. There is a tournament in two weeks just north of London. Sir Charles shall make his debut there!" We sat at the table and began to eat. "I can spare two other horses, and you have all the supplies you need already, right?"

"We do." It was freeing to speak as freely as a man.

"Then you should leave tomorrow so you can get there in time to really set yourself up for a good start. Your armor is treating you well?"

"Yes, Thomas has done a great job."

"Thank you, Sir." Thomas smiled at me. "Will you be needing me on the road?"

"I don't think so. If we need you we will send word." I saw him sigh in relief. I knew he wanted to stay with his family, and as much as it would be a relief to have him with us, I couldn't do that to him unless it was absolutely necessary.

When the three of us left it was rather melancholy. I had never been away from my father, and here I was venturing into the world without him for the first time. He assured me that he would make sure to see me at tournament, if not this one, then the next. Christopher, Franklin, and I were able to fit at the front of the wagon that our two spare horses pulled while Shadow walked happily beside us.

"So how old am I again?" I spoke from my reclined position.

"We're bumping your age down by five, to nineteen. You can pass as a nineteen year old boy." Christopher laughed and playfully hit my stomach causing my to jerk up. "And if anyone asks, you're already betrothed to a girl back home."

"Why?"

"Because then they won't ask you about it." Franklin laughed.

"Duly noted. How far is it do you think?"

"I'd say we should be there in just two days, maybe three is we are unlucky."

"Do you think I have a chance to win?"

"I don't know, it will depend on who else is there. But I wouldn't bet against you."

I smiled as we continued on our way. The next two days were filled with their tales, which I enjoyed immensely. When we arrived we put the horses in the local stable and set up our two tents.

"We are going to the tavern, did you want to join us, Sire?" Franklin poked his head into my tent.

"Oh no, I will just go see Shadow and go to bed. You two have fun though."

"Thank you, Sir. We shall!"

As I walked to the stable I felt like myself again; no judging eyes on me ready to deem me as too girly. Shadow was as relieved to see me as I was him. I brushed him for a good while before I felt eyes on me. I looked to the entrance and found a couple of men there. From their dress they didn't appear to be noblemen.

"Nice horse you got there, Sir." The larger brunette spoke, "Who's the Knight you work for?"

"I am," my voice felt weak so I adjusted in a cough, "I am Sir Charles of Winchester."

"Our apologies Sir," another man walked in behind the two. "You don't often find noblemen in the stables tending to the horses."

I smiled. "No worries, gentlemen. I am new to this thing as it is."

"Let us buy you a pint, at least, Sir Charles."

I debated briefly, "Well, alright then." I felt my manliness return. "I would never refuse a pint!" I said boisterously.

"Wonderful," he extended his hand, "I am Geoffrey Chaucer. You might've read my book?"

"Yes, I have. It is fantastic to meet you, good sir." I shook his hand vigorously. "And who might your friends be?"

"This one is Roland," the brunette man nodded. "And this is Wat, but don't mind him." Geoffrey laughed.

"Excuse me!" The redhead sneered.

"To the tavern, let's make haste or the spirits will be gone before we arrive." I walked with them to the tavern, praying that I would be able to pull this off.


	4. But I was still myself

**Short chapter, but I am finally getting somewhere! Enjoy reader!**

Chapter 4: But I was still myself.

At the tavern my friends joined us.

"Sir Charles, I am so glad you made it."

"Well, I could hardly pass this up." We sat and drank into the night. I let them do the talking, but occasionally I would laugh. As the night progressed more and more people trickled into the tavern.

"Sir William, join us!" Roland said to a man walking up to us.

"This, my liege, is Sir Charles and his friends Franklin and Christopher." Geoff motioned to us. I gave a curt nod, and remembered briefly upon seeing his form that I was still a woman under my façade. I quickly shook the thought with more ale. William remained as silent as I was being, but the conversation was managing without us.

Until there was a lull, "It appears I am unlucky enough to have to face a champion on my first tournament." I laughed, looking at William, then at Geoff. "How long have you been back on the circuit?"

"This is William's return."

I returned to my silence for a few more minutes before standing up. "I am sorry, gentlemen, but I must take my leave. As I am still a young man, I require much sleep. Have another round on me," I set down some silver and made my way to the door, trying to keep my footing as best as I could. The street was quiet, besides the rumble of the tavern. I walked a few feet, breathing in the cool night air.

"You treat your squires kindly for a nobleman, Sir Charles."

I looked back to find Sir William also walking the road. "At times I think they may be my only friends, and I would never treat a friend poorly."

"How old did you say you were again?"

"Nineteen, Sir."

"Tis a good age." We began walking together.

I couldn't help the thoughts in my mind that came from Charlotte, my hidden self. I broke the silence, "Any champion's advice for me?"

"Don't fall off your horse." I laughed, but he didn't.

We approached the tents. "Well, this is where I leave. Sleep well, sir."

"Same to you." He spoke as he continued walking. As I slept that night I couldn't help but wonder about the quiet widower. Was he the same man that saved me from my sorrow after Edward's death? Or had he changed as I had? What I did know was that tomorrow I would have to train hard. There were champions to topple soon.


End file.
